I believe that teaching is a natural tendency to pass on knowledge to those that you care about. I can't remember when I came to realize this idea; but assuredly it has been part and parcel of who I am for quite some time.
My inspiration to become a teacher comes from many sources. as a youth I can attribute early influences to three people who caused me to take pause and develop a strong curiosity toward science, in particular the study of biology. I gained an appreciation for the sciences when I first took biology in high school. Mike Manton, my high school biology teacher, was a soft spoken guy who always found a way to link his lessons with the lives of his students. When I was an undergraduate in college I met a marine biology professor named Joe Rachlin, who taught me that it is not how much effort that you put in to a one credit course that matters it is how much you get out of a one credit course that matters. Finally, and certainly not least, I gained an appreciation for the diversity found in the sea through the many fishing trips that my father introduced me to.
As an adult I can point to two people whom I have admired and have taken inspiration from. My sister Gloria, who has recently retired from education after some 35 years of teaching and administration, is a tireless proponent of developing effective educational programs in both inner-city New York and suburban Connecticut. Perhaps the most influential person in my life is my wife Pat whose role as a speech pathologist has showed me that students with special needs can make great strides through great efforts.
Teaching ultimately comes down to affecting the lives of kids, this is where all teachers should find the compelling force to become the best educators possible. As a father of four children, I have come to understand that educators may have as much influence (and sometimes more) as any parent. Now that my children are transitioning to adulthood and leaving the household, I am finding a selfish need to maintain that parent/teacher relationship with other children and I think that is what drives me to assume this new role of educator. My short two years as a teacher has reinforced the idea that I can continue to be a mentor to kids and have a positive effect on their development. I can honestly say that there is nothing more self gratifying than meeting a former student, who takes pause to thank you for the experience of your class. As long as there are kids to teach and there is a need for personal satisfaction, I will be in the classroom.
My inspiration to become a teacher comes from many sources. as a youth I can attribute early influences to three people who caused me to take pause and develop a strong curiosity toward science, in particular the study of biology. I gained an appreciation for the sciences when I first took biology in high school. Mike Manton, my high school biology teacher, was a soft spoken guy who always found a way to link his lessons with the lives of his students. When I was an undergraduate in college I met a marine biology professor named Joe Rachlin, who taught me that it is not how much effort that you put in to a one credit course that matters it is how much you get out of a one credit course that matters. Finally, and certainly not least, I gained an appreciation for the diversity found in the sea through the many fishing trips that my father introduced me to.
As an adult I can point to two people whom I have admired and have taken inspiration from. My sister Gloria, who has recently retired from education after some 35 years of teaching and administration, is a tireless proponent of developing effective educational programs in both inner-city New York and suburban Connecticut. Perhaps the most influential person in my life is my wife Pat whose role as a speech pathologist has showed me that students with special needs can make great strides through great efforts.
Teaching ultimately comes down to affecting the lives of kids, this is where all teachers should find the compelling force to become the best educators possible. As a father of four children, I have come to understand that educators may have as much influence (and sometimes more) as any parent. Now that my children are transitioning to adulthood and leaving the household, I am finding a selfish need to maintain that parent/teacher relationship with other children and I think that is what drives me to assume this new role of educator. My short two years as a teacher has reinforced the idea that I can continue to be a mentor to kids and have a positive effect on their development. I can honestly say that there is nothing more self gratifying than meeting a former student, who takes pause to thank you for the experience of your class. As long as there are kids to teach and there is a need for personal satisfaction, I will be in the classroom.